1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to home entertainment systems and remote controls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, a viewer of a home entertainment system that can include several components including a TV, DVD player, VCR, personal video recorder (PVR), and so on, can control each component using a remote control device. Unfortunately, each component typically comes with its own remote control device; to permit the use of a single device, a user must manually program the remote control device with the various parameters necessary to control the multiple system components. This is cumbersome and tedious.
A method for automatically programming a home entertainment system remote control device to control plural system components includes engaging a portable storage media with a component, and loading control parameters of the component onto the media. The method further includes disengaging the media from the component, engaging the media with the remote control device, and then loading the control parameters into the remote control device.
Preferably, the media is engaged with the component by inserting the media into the component. In one non-limiting embodiment, the media is flash memory. The component can be selected from the group of components including but not limited to televisions, VCRs, PVRs, DVD players, CD players, cassette decks, and A/V amplifiers.
In another aspect, a TV system includes a TV, a component coupled to the TV, and a remote control device that stores control parameters related to the component and the TV. Means are provided for automatically transferring control parameters between the component and the remote control device. The transferring means can include a removable flash memory or a transmitter on the component that sends, via wireless link, control parameters to the remote control device.